Owner of a Lonely Heart
by Yugure
Summary: Halloween special. A stranger shows up at Lina's work and proceeds to turn her world upsidedown. ZL AU
1. Chapter One

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me... I humbly request you step back into sanity.

**Author Notes:** Inspiration for this piece comes from the song "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night" by Corey Hart. Title is from the song "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. Much with the L/Z-ness. This is set in modern times; therefore Zel is human (looking) and has black hair, not blue.

**Chapter One**

She tried to ignore him. It wasn't easy.

He sat directly between the door to the kitchen and Lina's assigned section of the restaurant. And considering the way the building was set up, she had to pass him every time she rang up a bill, too. Normally Lina was very good at ignoring people. So good that she had been reprimanded more than once for snubbing rude customers. Her co-workers admired her single-minded determination at paying attention only to her job; for it, she received a sort of special rank among them. But this guy... this guy was definitely threatening Lina's status.

It wasn't that he was awful to look at. In fact, he was quite pleasing to the eye – an observation Lina also tried to ignore as she ducked into the kitchen area and grabbed a tray of food. It wasn't that he said anything weird, either. He hadn't said a word since arriving, except to order a coffee from Amelia, Lina's best friend and fellow waitress. Although Lina had to pass his table to get everywhere she had to, he wasn't actually in her assigned section. And it wasn't even that he was staring at her or looking at her in any odd way. Well, not that she could tell.

He was wearing sunglasses.

This wouldn't really be a cause to raise any sort of alarm, except the fact that he was inside a building. That, and, as Lina confirmed once again by glancing out the window, it was well after nightfall.

So what kind of guy wore his sunglasses at night?

"Lina, stop dawdling," Filia snapped, nudging the frozen girl with a sharp elbow and an equally sharp voice. "It's busy tonight. We can't afford to slack off."

"I'm not slacking off," Lina snapped back. With the huge rush of tourists looking for a meal and the weird guy and personal problems better left unexplained, Lina's patience was pulled as taut as it could go without breaking. Ignoring people could, of course, only go so far. Every jerk that slapped her rear, every child who spilled ketchup and salad dressing all over the table, every self-righteous yuppie who didn't get his filet mignon _just this or that way_ plucked ferociously at the tight line of Lina's tolerance. If she had any less control, she'd be twitching.

"Here you go, sir. If you need anything else, let me know," Lina said through gritted teeth. She whirled on her feet and snagged Amelia's arm as the petite brunette rounded on a man who, apparently, had made a derogatory comment about her bust size.

"Leave it alone, Amelia," Lina whispered harshly as she dragged Amelia away.

"I don't know why I put up with this job," Amelia sighed.

"Because we're paid for it. Now quick, tell me, who is that guy you've got sitting by the kitchen? The one who only ordered a coffee?"

"What about him? He's just some guy." Amelia and Lina made their way toward the kitchen. They passed the guy in question and kept their voices low. "...Although he's been here every night for the past week or so. He always sits in the same place, and he always wears his sunglasses."

"Weird. But who wears their sunglasses in a restaurant?" In the kitchen, Lina took another tray of food and dropped off an order. Amelia and Lina both stood behind the counter as Amelia tallied up a bill.

"Maybe he's a vampire or something," Amelia commented lightly. Lina rolled her eyes.

"Right. I'm fairly sure that vampires can survive against artificial light."

"How do you know?"

"Oh, it's common knowledge," Lina airily replied, waving her hands. "Anyone who knows their mythology knows that." Amelia rolled her eyes, but Lina was too agitated to notice. "Has he said anything weird? Does he ever order any food?" Together the two girls glanced up at the man in sunglasses.

Big mistake.

He was looking in their direction, and even though the tint on the glasses made it difficult to see what, exactly, he was looking at, Lina knew instinctively that he was looking at her. It was a feeling as old as time itself – the feel of a predator's gaze on its prey. Lina shivered and averted her gaze. Amelia ran a quick hand across the goose bumps on her arms.

"You still giving me a ride home later?" Lina asked.

"I'd love to, but my shift ends two hours earlier than yours does. If you want, I can come back for you." Amelia finished up the bill.

"No, that's okay. I'll catch a ride with Filia or Martina."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Talk to you later."

That was the last time they had a chance to talk. The night dragged onwards, full of annoying customers and bad tips. The strange guy with the sunglasses stayed for a while longer and eventually left. Lina nearly forgot about him as she went about her work.

After closing, Lina slung her bag over her shoulder, punched out, and was just about to exit the restaurant when she remembered she didn't have a ride.

"Hey, Filia, can you give me a ride home tonight?" she called back. Filia was rushing around the back room. With an exclamation of victory, Filia snatched up a pair of red stilettos and hurried over to the door.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I've got a date, and I'm going to be late if I don't leave right now," she said, holding up her shoes as evidence. Lina sighed.

"Fine, fine. Is Martina still back there?"

"Yeah, I think so. 'Night Lina! See ya tomorrow! Oh, don't forget to lock up!" Filia left the building. Lina tapped her foot impatiently on the tile floor.

"Martina, you there?" There was no reply. Lina made her way back to the break room and poked her head inside. Nobody lingered behind. Lina cursed softly under her breath. Where the heck had that silly girl gone? _She probably skipped out early, right under Filia's nose,_ Lina thought acidly. _Sometimes Martina is just... UGH! Words can't even describe her..._

There was no other choice but to leave. Lina stalked out into the night, locked up the restaurant behind her and turned to peer into the shadows. She could have called Amelia to come pick her up, but Lina hated having to owe anybody anything. She didn't have enough money to call a cab, either. That left walking. Well, it wasn't THAT far, was it? Summoning up all her courage, Lina set out for her apartment.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She forced herself to keep her mind averted from the possible dangers that awaited her in the dark alleys. Stick to the streetlights, mind your own business, and move fast. Simple rules, really.

When the trio of shadowy figures stepped out in front of her, though, the rules were the farthest things from Lina's mind.

"Hey pretty lady. Come with us and we'll show you a good time," the leader said, his unctuous voice oozing like slime. Lina refused to back up a step when he took a step forward. Backing away would only encourage them.

"No," she replied curtly, voice firm and unwavering. She moved to the side, in attempts to move past them, but they flanked her.

"Hey now. Don't run off like that. We didn't mean to scare you," the one on the right said. He grinned, yellow teeth peeking from behind scabby lips.

"Someone is expecting me," Lina lied. By the way the men laughed raucously, they knew she was lying.

"Sure they are." The one on the left reached a hand out to grab her arm. Lina yanked it out of his reach and dropped into what she hoped might be an intimidating martial arts stance.

"Look, don't mess with me, okay? I can kick all your asses in mere seconds," she barked. More lies, and unfortunately lies the derelicts didn't believe.

"Feisty, eh? I like 'em like that," the leader said. As if on cue, all three scumbags made a move to grab Lina. Lina shuddered as their revolting fingers wrapped around her wrist. She managed to get a right hook out to connect with one man's face, but the others grabbed her wrists and prevented her from causing any further damage.

Something pale flashed in Lina's line of vision, and the next thing she knew, she was thrown against a grimy brick wall. Falling to her knees, she watched as a smartly dressed figure in black proceeded to exchange blows with the street ruffians, who seemed to be on the receiving end. Lina rubbed the sore spot on the back of her head where it had smacked against the wall. Spots of light lanced out and danced across her vision. _This is not good,_ she thought, wincing in pain. Hurt, confused, and now feeling the midnight chill creep into her bones, Lina huddled against the brick bulwark and regarded the fight on the sidewalk. The stranger in black finished his job, disposing of the unconscious bodies by way of trash bins in the alley. Lina noted, with mild awe, that the stranger had exhibited inhuman capabilities. The scuffle had lasted only a mere seconds – time it takes most people to blink.

Shockwaves of pain undulated through Lina's head. The stranger knelt in front of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, voice cultured and with a slight indescribable accent.

"I think so," Lina replied, her voice thick with pain.

"I'm so sorry about that. I didn't mean to push you so hard to the side. I only wanted you out of the way," the stranger continued. He kept his hands to himself like a polite gentleman, allowing Lina room to move.

"That was you?" Soft black hair curling slightly around his face, ice blue eyes set in an alabaster face... Lina blinked a few times, willing the pain to recede. It refused, seeming to have a mind of its own.

"Yes... I apologize..." The stranger glanced at the ground next to him and picked up a pair of sunglasses. He carefully pocketed them away, but not before Lina superimposed them over his pale face.

_It's him!_ she thought, feeling a twinge of surprise and suspicion. _The sunglasses guy!_

It was at this time that Lina's body decided to mutiny. Severe trauma to the head was not good. She was unconscious within moments.

The stranger sighed in exasperation. He was annoyed that he used such excessive force. Usually he was much better at restraint, but tonight... it was probably just a fluke. He hadn't fed in a day; maybe his judgment was impaired.

Never the matter. He had to get this young woman off the street. Carefully checking the street for witnesses, he gathered the small, prone body into his arms and disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter Two

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me... I humbly request you step back into sanity.

**Chapter Two**

Zelgadis watched as the blankets over Lina rose and fell with her deep, even breathing. She looked so small and helpless, curled up and ensconced in fleece blankets and the fluffy comforter. A smile lit Zelgadis's face as he remembered the redhead's fierce attitude of only a few hours before.

"Such a firebrand," he said quietly, leaning against the wall and sipping a cup of coffee. Of course, he had no taste for the potent drink, but the simple act was familiar and soothing.

"Hmmm..." mumbled a sleepy Lina as she rolled over onto her side. Her face looked distressed. Zelgadis, feeling an overwhelming, annoying sense of protection, stepped closer to the bed and smoothed Lina's bangs away from her face.

"What troubles you so, _ma cherie_, that it enters your dreams and turns them to nightmares?" he asked. Not expecting a response, Zelgadis nearly dropped his coffee when Lina's eyes opened and she blinked up at him.

A few moments passed, in which Lina gauged her surroundings. Strange bedroom plus strange man minus her own clothes equals panic.

"What the hell...!" Lina exclaimed, rocketing into a sitting position. Eyes wide and confused, she floundered around in the bed and nearly fell off the other side. "Who are you! Where am I!" A quick look down, and then: "And what the HELL am I wearing!"

"I'm your savior, you're in my home, and you're wearing one of my shirts," Zelgadis replied quickly, hoping to avoid a full-fledged panic attack. "I didn't know where you lived and I couldn't leave you in the street; you passed out so I had to take you somewhere-"

"A hospital would've been nice!" Lina snapped. She leaped off the bed and searched the room wildly for a weapon. Nothing struck her as useable. "You can't just go picking strangers up off the street and take them home! How do I know you're not a murderer or rapist or something evil like that! And where the hell are my clothes!"

"Please, calm down. I don't mean you any harm-"

"Yeah, that's what they all say, right before they slit your throat!"

"Lina Inverse, I humbly request that you sit down and listen to what I have to say." Zelgadis spoke plainly and quietly enough, but the use of her full name caused Lina to falter. She paused in her fruitless search and ranting tirade.

"How... do you know my name?" she asked, stupefied. Standing there in only an oversized button-up shirt, the cuffs of the sleeves hanging past her fingertips, Lina looked terribly alarmed and fragile.

"I know many things, Lina. Please, accompany me to the living room," Zelgadis replied. He exited the room. Lina, seeing no choice but to follow, trailed after him.

The rest of the apartment was rather lavish, decorated in black, white, and gray and accented with splashes of red. It was beautiful and pristine. Zelgadis reached over a countertop that separated the kitchen from the main living room and picked up a coffee mug. He held it out to Lina without a word.

Feeling utterly self-conscious and every few seconds tugging on the shirt's hem, Lina took the mug and stared at its contents.

"What is it?" she mumbled.

"Hot cocoa. If you prefer, Sylphiel will make you coffee," Zelgadis replied. Lina's head snapped up. Someone else was here? So she wasn't as in danger as she thought... was she?

A raven-tressed head poked out from behind a pantry door. Large green eyes blinked soulfully at Lina, and a small smile lit carnation pink lips.

"Hello," the girl said, voice quiet and gentle. Lina returned the smile, although hers was considerably more watered down. "See, Zelgadis, I told you the shirt would fit her just fine."

Zelgadis looked a bit disconcerted over this statement, and if he was capable of it, he would have blushed.

"Still seems rather high cut," he muttered, turning away to take a seat in a large leather chair. Lina glanced down and realized the hem of the shirt only reached to about mid palm. Her cheeks warmed and her neck turned red.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on here?" Lina asked, hoping neither of the other two would notice her reaction. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to just take my things and leave."

"Actually, Lina, I can't let you do that. Not yet." Zelgadis kept his cool blue eyes trained on Lina. The petite redhead bristled.

"Why the hell not!"

"Sylphiel, please take your leave," Zelgadis commanded the other girl. Without so much as a glance back, Sylphiel left the apartment.

"Answer me! What's stopping me from leaving right now?"

"I don't know. Why haven't you left already?"

"..."

It was an observation Lina would rather have done without. She crawled into the other oversized leather chair and glowered at the man across from her, hot cocoa mug in one hand and the other tightly clenched into a fist.

"You must think I'm crazy-"Zelgadis began.

"Damn straight," Lina mumbled. Zelgadis either hadn't noticed or didn't care, as he continued on as if Lina hadn't spoken.

"- But I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"Stalker!"

"No. Hear me out. Please." It was the 'please' that did her in. Lina couldn't ignore the plaintive voice and the polite request. That, and the quiet sadness in Zelgadis's eyes was eating at her insides.

"Fine, but this had better be a **damn** good story."


	3. Chapter Three

**

* * *

Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me... please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Author Notes: **I realize everyone has different views on the hows and whys of vampirism. Please be open-minded when reading, as I am sure that somewhere you will find something that does not sit well with you. For the record, my main sources of inspiration for the supernatural come from Laurell K. Hamilton and L.J. Smith.

**Chapter Three**

Zelgadis laughed, a deep sound that seemed to rumble Lina's belly. Oddly enough, Lina felt her heart flutter and jump. Uncomfortable, she pulled a soft afghan into her lap and sipped at her drink.

"It is a story that you may not believe," he said, watching the girl under hooded eyes. He was gauging her reaction as much as she was his.

"Try me."

"To begin, I am not as I appear to be. I am over 200 years old and not entirely human." Zelgadis could tell by the derisive snort and roll of eyes that Lina was not keeping an open mind.

"Sorry," Lina quickly said upon seeing the disappointed look on Zelgadis's face. "I'll suspend my disbelief until you're done."

"Thank you. As I was saying, I am over 200 years old. There are many phrases you could use to call me, but, to put it simply, I am a vampire.

It was not my decision to become what I am. Someone I once trusted betrayed me and damned me to this eternal hell..."

* * *

_About 200 years ago..._

Zelgadis Graywords wasn't sure if his deviant behavior was a response to his own unbridled passion for Olivia D'Amaro or out of spite of his parents' severe stranglehold grip on his life. Not that it mattered, really, since he was breaking rules in either case and he wouldn't stop for anything.

Zelgadis rounded a corner and darted down an alleyway. He barely noticed the drunks and lepers leaning against the walls or passed out on the cobblestones. He had one destination in mind, and he would get there if it took all night.

Olivia D'Amaro was cruelly beautiful and beautifully cruel. Beauty was a weapon she knew how to wield, and did so without relent. Hardly any man could resist her mesmerizing eyes or shimmering hair, her intoxicating scent and soft, supple body. All women hated her and all men wanted her. She surely would have been the belle of the town if she hadn't been born into and raised by a very disreputable family. Her name and heritage was a curse she could not cast off. Not that she would want to, for Olivia's heart was blacker than the darkest night in the shadow of the moon. She embodied sin and temptation. It was social death to associate with her beyond what was required by law regarding her father and family.

Zelgadis, unfortunately, was enraptured. Never before in his young life had he felt such a beating fervor for another human being. He pined for Olivia for years and years; after meeting her at a mandatory social interaction, he could not let go of her image. Olivia, although wicked and depraved, was also intelligent, and knew exactly how to twist Zelgadis to fulfill her needs.

Of course his father eventually found out about his son's dangerous liaison with Olivia. He forbade all future interaction and pronounced all past developments nonexistent. For the past 2 years Monsignor Graywords attempted to find a suitable bride for Zelgadis, but Zelgadis would have none of it. His heart would always belong to Olivia. Zelgadis proceeded to sneak out of the house at all hours, at all days of the week. Sometimes he would be gone entire days, returning with a feeble explanation of his whereabouts. Although only a select few knew of Zelgadis's dangerous obsession, it nonetheless became increasingly important to curb this unwanted behavior.

Zelgadis slowed as he approached the commons where Olivia was supposed to meet him. He was seething with resentment towards his father, whom he had just run away from after a loud and scandalous fight in front of the new opera house. He was also shivering with barely concealed excitement in anticipation of Olivia. Her telegram had sounded full of promises best left said in the dark. Would she finally confess her undying love for him? Would they decide to elope? Would they... would they...

"Zelgadis, my love, you are late." A shadow stepped out from underneath a tree and into the harsh light cast by the streetlamps. Olivia held out her arm for Zelgadis to take. He did so, gladly.

"I am terribly sorry. My father dragged me to tonight's opera and detained me afterward," he offered as explanation. Olivia nodded, not as though she believed him, but as though his excuse didn't really matter. They began walking away under the trees.

"Zelgadis, if I told you I was a vampire, would you believe me?" The odd question completely stunned the young man. He nearly tripped on a rock as he shot Olivia a confused look.

"I find it hard to believe in such fairytales," he finally replied. "They are mythical creatures, no more, no less."

"I am, Zelgadis. And if I can make you one too, would you come away with me?

This time Zelgadis completely stopped to focus his full attention on Olivia's face. She seemed to be completely honest, and Zelgadis could not detect a hint of trickery. The more important fact, however, was that Olivia had just asked him to go away with her. To where? For what? It didn't matter, did it, if he was going to be with Olivia?

"I will go anywhere with you Olivia. I will go anywhere **for** you."

"Good. Excellent." The dark-haired woman fell silent.

"But would you explain to me what this vampire business is?"

"I will show you, Zelgadis Graywords. Prepare yourself. If you struggle, it will be much less pleasurable."

Zelgadis liked the way she said "pleasurable". He liked the hungry way she was looking at him. He liked the way she pulled him into the darkness without making a sound.

He did not like the sensation of teeth piercing his throat.

* * *

_Present..._

"I was a fool then. A fool blinded by love." Zelgadis's countenance had transformed from a poker face to a mask of misery and pain that wouldn't die. "It was stupid to put faith into that terrible woman, but I was young and didn't know better."

"I thought you said you were turned against your will, but to me, it sounds like you gave permission," Lina interrupted. She was surprised to hear her voice subdued. Somehow, in the last few minutes, she had become enthralled with the story. She was even beginning to believe it.

"I admit to making such a mistake. I did not believe in vampires, and I did not believe she would do what she did. However, as I found out later, Olivia would have turned me regardless of what my response would have been. And that is not the betrayal that I speak of."

"I'm sorry, please continue."

"Thank you. It was shortly after my transformation that I met Nathaniel..."

* * *

_Past..._

Zelgadis cracked his eyes open, then immediately wished he hadn't. Although it was dusk, and quickly fading to night, the dim light was harsh on the new vampire's eyes. Not only that, but his raging hunger was rising within him.

"Glad to see you're awake," Olivia stated from her position perched on the edge of the bed. She stood up and took two steps away. Zelgadis sat up and threw his legs over the side. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like hell," Zelgadis ground out, pressing his palms into his eyes.

"As expected," was the smug reply. Zelgadis tilted his head enough to peer at Olivia from between his fingers. Somehow, in spite of what she had done to him, he still loved her. His undead heart would always beat for her.

"Are we hunting now?"

"No... not quite. I want you to meet someone." With a small gesture of her hand, she beckoned someone to step out of the shadows of the room.

A Viking, Zelgadis thought instantly. The man towering over Olivia looked like what he imagined a Viking to look like. Fierce blue eyes focused on Zelgadis from under a mop of unruly blond hair.

"This is your new changeling, child? Such a scrawny specimen, don't you think?" Zelgadis flinched at the gravely voice that grated his sensitive ears.

"Come now, Nathaniel, don't be jealous," Olivia scolded, turning a radiant smile on her comrade. Both older vampires turned to look at Zelgadis.

Zelgadis remained silent, gaze flickering from one face to another.

"I think he's cute," Olivia finally said.

"Your choice, your fledgling," Nathaniel replied, bending to nip Olivia's throat. He nuzzled his nose into the hair behind her ears. Olivia continued to stare at Zelgadis with a content smile on her face.

It was then Zelgadis realized what he had been missing, what he hadn't seen, what he hadn't wanted to understand. Olivia would never be his, of course. Olivia had damned his soul, but not because she wanted him as an eternal companion. She already had a lover. Zelgadis was nothing but a toy, a pet.

* * *

_Present..._

Lina hadn't expected to fall so deeply into the story. She was nearly on the edge of her seat, wanting to grasp every thread of the tragedy. Her cocoa long gone, she clutched the afghan.

"That's terrible," she said, cutting in again, "... but what does this all have to do with me?" Realize she was acting as though she believed the story, Lina slouched back in her seat and glowered at Zelgadis. "And you still have to convince me any of this is real. **Without** attempting to turn me into a vampire."

"Very well then. Follow me." Without waiting for a reply, Zelgadis stood up and walked out to his balcony.

Lina, not expecting proof of any kind, hesitated. What was going on here? Vampires aren't really... right? Since she had agreed to suspend her disbelief for the time being, she followed.


	4. Chapter Four

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me... please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Chapter Four**

Outside, the city's nightlife was in full swing. Bars were just opening their doors for a new crowd of tourists and regulars. Dance clubs were packed to the ceiling as waves of people entered and exited, all searching for a good time. Lights blazed everywhere, illuminating both the sordid and the spectacular. Lina loved the vibrancy of the city. It had so much color, so much culture, so much energy. She never felt alone. She never felt like she was the only soul in the world. Here, in this city, life moved beyond a 9 to 5 job and the daylight hours.

Lina leaned against the balcony railing and watched as people wandered the streets. She smiled and began tapping her feet to the rhythm of music blasting from a nearby disco. The night was cold and clear. From the ground, the stars wouldn't have been visible, but up here, away from the city lights, the sky was painted with speckles of white shining light.

"Do you see that forest over there?" Zelgadis spoke up, his voice rising out of the relative silence like smoke in the night. He was leaning against the glass door, almost invisible in the shadows. Lina nearly jumped. Zelgadis moved and stood so quietly she almost forgot he was there. Perturbed that she was easily unnerved, Lina glowered at the man.

"Yeah, Sorche Park?" Lina replied, inclining her head to the rough patch of foliage to the west, beyond the razzle and dazzle of the immediate city around them.

"Indeed. Are you familiar with the park?"

"Sort of."

"The gardens?"

"Yes, that's my favorite place."

"Pick a flower. Any flower."

"The... the, uh, rhododendron," Lina replied slowly, not quite sure where this was going. What the hell did flowers have to do anything?

"I will fetch you the flowers from the rhododendron and return here." Zelgadis watched Lina's face for her reaction.

"Anybody can do that!" Lina snapped, her irritation growing in leaps and bounds. She felt like she'd been tricked, and Lina hated being tricked. "I could do that, if I wanted! Just go downstairs, call a cab, and drive over there. As if it takes special powers to do that..."

"I don't think you understand," Zelgadis replied. To Lina's complete astonishment, Zelgadis grabbed on to the balcony railing with his long, slender fingers and nimbly jumped up to crouch on the metal. "But in any case, I'll be back shortly."  
"What?! You can't be serious!" Lina exclaimed frantically. What the hell was this guy thinking?! They were at least 10 stories up! "You're not going that way!"

"Want to bet?" With a smile and a wink, Zelgadis disappeared.

Lina clung to the railing and tried to follow the black shape as it fell downward.

"Damn, I can't believe he just did that! This guy is absolutely freaking crazy!" Suddenly a thought hit Lina, and she felt sick. "If he dies, do I get in trouble? Oh, hell, I'm standing in his apartment on the balcony! They'll think I had something to do with it. They'll probably think I pushed him! Oh no, oh no..."

Lina was almost too busy lamenting her seemingly inevitable incarceration to see the dark figure below land lightly on the next building over, pause for a second, and then leap off toward the park.

"This guy is nuts, certifiably insane... so am I, for staying here... What AM I still doing here?! Oh, hell, that's it, I'm leaving." Lina turned to go when a hand gently grasped her arm. Choking back a scream, not knowing what to expect, she spun around. Zelgadis stood out against the black night sky like a stone monolith. He smiled.

"For you," he said, holding out his hand. Lina stared at the dark flower as if it were an alien species. A moment passed. Zelgadis's fingers gently closed around the blossom. Quickly, silently, with a twist of his hand, he ran his knuckles lightly up across Lina's cheekbone and down behind her ear. It took Lina another second or so to realize that he had deposited the flower in her hair. Her face flushed, and she was immensely glad it was too dark on the balcony to see properly.

"Do you believe me yet?" Zelgadis asked. Believe him?! He just jumped off a 10-story balcony, survived, and traversed five blocks in a mere few seconds! Who the hell wouldn't believe him? Even if he wasn't a vampire, he was something extraordinary.

"Yeah... yeah, I do," Lina whispered in response.

"Good," Zelgadis replied, smiling again. This time, Lina noticed something she hadn't before: twin sets of elongated canines. A shiver of fear raced up Lina's spine. She took one step backward, bumped against the glass, and let out a tiny squeak.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," Zelgadis spoke quickly, his grin disappearing almost immediately. He reached out and placed his fingertips lightly on Lina's arm. He seemed worried about Lina's sudden withdrawal.

"I'm not scared," Lina lied, hoping her voice wouldn't betray her thoughts. The undeniable facts stared her in the face: She was alone on a balcony connected to an unfamiliar apartment in an unfamiliar building with a strange man who was obviously more than he seemed. Up here, no one would care if they heard her screams, if anyone did at all. What was she thinking, staying around to talk to this wacko, she needed to get out of here, right now –

"You are, and I'm sorry. You need to know the truth. I can't lie to you about who I am because you need to accept me," Zelgadis said, breaking the silence. He gazed at Lina with forlorn eyes. "It won't work otherwise."

"What won't work?" In spite of the gnawing fear eating her insides, Lina was curious. She didn't know what was going on, wasn't sure if she wanted to know, but thought it best to pay it low if she was to get out of this apartment unscathed.

"You know my past now," Zelgadis replied, turning to look out at the inky black sky. "But you don't know your own."

"What are you talking about?"

"You are a descendant of Olivia D'Amaro, though many generations removed. You bear only a slight resemblance to her, but I can still see the traces."

"But... but you told me about her, described her. I'm nothing like Olivia! She was tall and dark haired, not to mention Italian! Does this look Italian to you?" Lina grabbed a handful of her red hair and shook it at the vampire.

"Much breeding with the Irish," Zelgadis explained, a small smile on his pale lips. "You even have a temper to match the stereotype. Trust me, I've followed your bloodline for quite some time. Think about it, Lina. Many generations have passed since Olivia's time. It would be even more unlikely that you would remain her doppelganger."

"What did you say?" Lina's temper, quick to flare, was doused with cold realization of Zelgadis's words. "My bloodline?"

Zelgadis suddenly swept past Lina, leaving the confused girl to scramble back inside and shut the door. The vampire moved silently, stealthily into the kitchen area and began making himself a cup of coffee.

"Coffee, the only liquid I could ever use to replace the blood lust," Zelgadis joked quietly, obviously avoiding Lina's question.

"Zelgadis, what was that you said about following my bloodline?" When the vampire didn't respond, Lina thumped her fist on the counter. "Don't ignore me, dammit, tell me what you meant!"

"Olivia once told me that, if I were to ever find peace with myself, I must find someone to share the night with." Zelgadis was careful to not meet Lina's eyes as he talked. Instead, he stared down at the countertop. "I don't understand the magic behind it. Since it was Olivia who turned me, I am connected to the D'Amaro bloodline. Only one of her ancestry can set me free. I have returned to every generation of women in that bloodline to make the same offer that I'm giving you now." Zelgadis finally looked up into Lina's stricken face. "I'm asking you, Lina Inverse, if you would consider taking my hand and become a creature of the night, to stand beside me as my companion. Consider this as well: You will be given an eternity of youth and beauty, to do whatever it is your heart desires. If you deny me this, I will return to you twice more to ask the same thing. After that, if you still refuse, I will erase your memory of what has transpired and disappear from your life until you bear children of your own."

Numb and panicked, Lina couldn't force herself to respond. Her entire world had just tipped sideways and she was desperately scrambling to find a foothold. She opened her mouth to say "No way" when her brain finally made sense of what she was seeing on Zelgadis's face: resignation, infinite sadness, and weariness. He already knew, already guessed what her answer would be. He had suffered rejection for so many years and had given up hope. It wore on what was left of his soul, grinding down his hopes until nothing was left.

But...

...Lina couldn't accept.

"No," she said, shaking her head emphatically. "I can't. I won't."  
"And I shall return for you," Zelgadis replied, nodding his acceptance of her words. He was next to Lina in a single second, and before she could react, Zelgadis gently drew his fingers down over her eyes. "Sleep," he commanded, and Lina fell unconscious.


	5. Chapter Five

**

* * *

Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me... please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Author Notes:** Hmm, okay, I think I know what I want to do with this story... WARNING!! This chapter is gory. Yes. Blood and whatnot. It is not in excruciatingly minute detail, but it is still there, so I thought there should be some sort of warning. (And as a treat for everyone who has reviewed this story to say they like it, this chapter is especially long..."

**Chapter Five**

Lina woke up in her own bed, in her own apartment. She lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, as she marveled at the dream she had awakened from.

A man... tall, dark hair... gorgeous eyes and face... an apartment... a story... vampires? Why were there vampires...?

She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock. 11:24 am. Well then. Time to get up and make breakfast... er, lunch... She was just about to swing her legs over the edge of the bed when she realized she was wearing a shirt that didn't belong to her. She stared at the sleeve cuffs covering her wrists. She never owned a shirt like this.

She looked over to the other side of the bed, and onto the floor. Nope, no naked man in either place, familiar or otherwise. Not that Lina ever engaged in one-night stands, but for some reason last night was unusually foggy in her mind, and she was very concerned about this.

The dream was fading fast, and the only thing that stayed with her was the blurry countenance of man she thought seemed familiar.

But why the hell was she wearing this shirt?

Lina tried hard to think about last night. She remembered leaving work, she remembered walking home... and she must have gotten home safely, because here she was, without a mark on her, and she didn't remember anything after the dark streets of the city.

Strange dreams, shirts that weren't hers, not remembering the night before... it sounded like a cheesy romance fantasy story.

Lina changed into clean clothes and threw the button-up shirt into her hamper. She decided, to ease her troubled mind, that it had to be a shirt borrowed from Amelia or another one of her friends. Yes, that was it, that made sense...

Lina walked out to the kitchen and brewed fresh coffee.

"Mmm, coffee," she murmured.

* * *

Across town, Zelgadis slumbered in his artificially midnight-dark bedroom...

_The basement was dark except for the candles in the sconces on the walls, flames flickering, tiny pinpricks in the gloom. The two bodies lay entwined on the bed._

"_Zelgadis... you love me, right?" Olivia ran her fingers across Zelgadis's face, tracing the contours. Zelgadis shivered in delight._

"_Yes, of course..."_

"_You would do anything for me, right?" Olivia trailed her hand down his throat, past his collarbone, slipped her fingers beneath his shirt._

"_Yes, of course..."_

"_Tonight we feast, Zelgadis. It will be difficult, but I promise it will be worth it..." Deft fingers played along the waistband of Zelgadis's pants. Nails gently ran across the pale, smooth skin. _

"_Anything for you, Olivia..."_

"_Good..." Olivia's fingers pulled back. Zelgadis was left staring at the canopy of the bed. His feelings of warmth and tenderness slowly leaked away as he felt another presence enter the room. Zelgadis turned away, curled up in the corner, as he tried to ignore the movements of Olivia and Nathaniel on the other end of the bed._

I'd do anything for her... why won't she be mine?

* * *

Lina stared at the sunglasses on her countertop. They triggered something in her mind, something she wasn't fully clear on. They were hers, certainly, but... They reminded her of something.

She picked them up and put them on.

_Hmm..._

Shrugging it off as an overactive imagination working overtime, she grabbed her bag and left the apartment.

* * *

"_This is... this is my home..." Zelgadis whispered, his words nearly lost in the wind blowing through the trees. Olivia pressed her hand into the small of his back._

"_Yes, and I think it's time to show your family what you're really all about," she purred into his ear._

"_What... what do you mean?"_

"_All those times they refused to let you see me... all those times you got so upset, we hardly ever had any fun together because you couldn't bear to hurt your family...you are their puppet, Zelgadis, and now that you have been reborn, it's time to cut your strings."_

"_I'm... hungry, Olivia. I haven't fed today." Zelgadis did not see the cruel smile on Olivia's lips._

"_We will get to that shortly, my dear. Just take care of this business first."_

"_My father..."_

"_Your father, who hated me, who hated you, and who forbade us to be together... Zelgadis..."_

"..._right." Determination set Zelgadis's face in a scowl. He stalked towards his house, ignoring the rising storm that swirled leaves across his feet and rumbled thunder._

* * *

"Amelia, is this yours?" Lina held out the shirt she had woken up with this morning. The two girls were at the mall, sitting at one of the outside tables at their favorite café, enjoying a little free time before they were consigned once more to the restaurant for the evening.

"No, it doesn't look familiar," Amelia said, examining it. I think Filia has something like this, though."

"Well, I woke up wearing it, and I think I might have borrowed it from someone last night, or maybe I borrowed it earlier this week and it was just lying around so I put it on before bed, or..." Lina scrunched the shirt in her hands.

"You don't remember?" Amelia asked, sipping her lemon water.

"No, that's the funny thing. I don't."

"Weird."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Ready for work tonight?" Amelia stood up and set down her money for the bill. Lina grabbed her shopping bags.

"Ugh. As ready as I'll ever be."

"I wonder if that man in sunglasses will be back... He sure was cute, even if kind of strange. We don't normally get guys like that in..." Amelia picked up her own bags and began walking away. Lina froze.

_Of course..._

* * *

"_Zelgadis Graywords, where the hell have you been?!" roared Monsignor Graywords. Zelgadis stood still. The faces of hired help peeked at the spectacle from the doorway, their heads popping up from behind the massive doors. The master of the house slammed the doors in their faces, wanting privacy with his son._

"_Nowhere," Zelgadis replied. He had wanted to come in here and lay down the facts to his father, to tell him that he wasn't going to be bossed around anymore, that he was his own man, and that he was leaving for good. He didn't get far into the conversation before his father, as always, barraged in with his own tirade. Zelgadis stared at the bulging veins on his father's neck and face and felt hunger seize him. He knew it had been a bad idea to forgo eating first..._

"_Your mother and I have been worried sick about you! After you ran away from the opera... why, I ought to tan your hide, you miserable wretch..." Zelgadis's father had been pacing the length of the room. Now he stopped and advanced on his son. He gripped Zelgadis's shoulders. "All I wanted was for you to grow into a fine, respectable young man, and here you are, shirking your duties, probably spending time with that WHORE-"_

"_Stop it."_

"_What? You don't talk to me like that, son..."_

"_No, I'm not going to listen to this. I'm sick and tired of your hate. I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back."_

"_This is that whore's doing, isn't it? I ought to-"_

"_Stop calling her a whore!" Zelgadis reached up and pushed on his father's neck. Unaware of his new strength, he shoved his father away from him, and the body flew into the couch. Absolute silence fell. _

_Monsignor Graywords stared up at his son, a new emotion rising in his eyes. Zelgadis looked down and, for the first time, saw real fear._

"_How dare you treat your father like this," Monsignor Graywords began, climbing to his feet. His face was flushed. He wound up his arm and let his fist fly, but Zelgadis ducked._

_Zelgadis grabbed hold of his father's shoulders. Redness washed over his vision, and he winced, trying to calm the wave rising inside of him. Outside, the storm lashed against the windows. Zelgadis's face felt hot, his insides burning, a fierce pounding began behind his temples. He could barely see or think straight._

_He began to understand why Olivia had done what she did._

_He understood why she had refused to let him feed beforehand._

"_You need to go," Zelgadis whispered, closing his eyes tight, but in spite of his words, his fingers dug in firmly into his father's shoulders._

"_You let me go right this instant, Zelgadis, and don't you dare try to tell me what to do-"_

"_GO!" the word was a roar. Monsignor Graywords paused only a heartbeat, and by then, it was too late._

* * *

Lina tied her apron on over her work clothes, her nervous fingers fumbling with the strings. She knew she would probably see him again tonight. The conversation from the night before was returning to her piece by piece, with startling clarity. Would he approach her at work? Sit in her section? Order from her? Or would he forgo that, now that he had already introduced himself? Would he be waiting for her after work?

And why, exactly, was she feeling vaguely excited about it?

* * *

_The average full-grown human body contains about 6 quarts of blood, more than enough to satiate Zelgadis's hunger, but most of it ended up on the carpet, on the couch, on the tables, on the walls. Zelgadis was inept at controlling himself when he fed; he was still new to the process, and he had never been able to leave his victim with enough blood to still live. Olivia had never taught him that._

_The hunger was still there, even as Zelgadis stared down at the lifeless body of his father. Blood covered just about every surface near him. He was about three seconds away from sucking it out of the carpet when there was a knock on the door._

"_Honey, are you okay?" The door creaked open, and the face of his mother appeared. A few more heads poked in around hers; the soft, innocent faces of his sisters and the curious countenance of his brother. "The servants came running into my room, telling me they heard screaming from in here..." Her words trailed off as she witnessed her son on his hands and knees, crouched over the still warm body of her husband, blood coating them both. She stumbled into the room, not understanding what had happened, perhaps thinking there was some kind of accident. Zelgadis's sisters screamed and clutched at their mother, burying their faces into her dress. Zelgadis's younger brother stared at the carnage with unabashed fascination and horror. "Heaven help us, what happened?! Zelgadis?!"_

"_Mother..." Zelgadis lifted his face, his pupils dilated. The hunger flowed into him, shoving him to his feet, pushing him forward. He staggered over the dead body. "No... get away from me..."_

"_Nome del dio," his mother uttered. Her eyes widened, taking in the blood dripping down Zelgadis's chin, at the ivory fangs pressed hard into his lips._

"_Stop it, stop it," Zelgadis chanted to himself. He covered his head with his arms, willing the hunger away. It forced clarity from his mind, lighting a fire inside his brain, driving all sensible thought away. His veins burned with the hunger. It couldn't hold..._

"_Zelgadis..." his mother took a tentative step forward. She reached out and touched his arm._

_And Zelgadis snapped._

* * *

Lina set down the fresh cup of coffee in front of the man with sunglasses and smiled. She tried to ease the butterflies in her stomach by saying that she was in a crowded restaurant and nothing was going to happen to her without someone witnessing it.

"So. Back again, huh?" she quipped, and immediately hated herself for sounding dumb. Zelgadis kept he head lowered.

"... yes."

"You know, I remember everything you said, but I hope you understand that it's difficult for me to accept something like that without a little skepticism, and... hey, you don't look so good."

"I'm naturally pale, in case you hadn't noticed..."

"Oh. Um. Yeah..." Lina resisted the urge to smack her forehead.

"I had... troubling dreams today."

"You dream?" When Zelgadis lifted his head, and even went so far as to lower his glasses slightly to look at her, she mentally kicked herself. "I mean, of course you do, why wouldn't you..."

"Will you allow me to walk you home after work tonight?" Zelgadis asked, keeping his eyes trained on Lina. Startled, Lina hemmed and hawed, trying to find a way out of it, until she realized that if anything like last night happened again, she would have someone to protect.

"Um. Yeah. Sure."

"Okay."

"Okay." Lina and Zelgadis stared at each other until Amelia came walking quickly by, poked Lina hard in the ribs, and inclined her head towards where the manager stood, glaring in their direction. Lina realized she had two new tables to service that she had completely ignored. Blushing, she went back to work.

* * *

Elsewhere, a finger ran down the open pages of the city's phonebook.

"Invertas... Invertra... Inverse..." a voice mumbled, muffled by the cloak wrapped around the face. The figure picked up a phone, dialed the number, and listened.

"_Hi, Lina Inverse here! I'm not in right now, so leave your name and number after the tone and I'll get back to you! _BEEEEEP!!"

The figure hung up the phone.

"I've found you again, Lina... and Zelgadis..."


	6. Chapter Six

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me… please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Author Notes:** Can you believe it? An update! An actual, honest-to-goodness update! You can put down your brass knuckles, nightsticks, and other instruments of bodily harm, now. Please.

Chapter 6 

Lina locked up the restaurant, dropped the keys into her pocket, and turned, pasting a smile on her face for the motionless vampire standing a little ways away. In truth, Lina was nervous as hell. She wasn't really sure what made her do the things she did, especially agree to be walked home by a member of the living dead. _It's for safety, of course,_ she kept saying to herself, although a small sliver of her mind also kept asking, _But how safe are you with a VAMPIRE?_

"Ready?" Zelgadis asked, extending his arm to Lina.

"Yeah! Sure thing!" she exclaimed, eyeing the limb as though it were going to bite her. She hesitated a moment, then slipped her arm through his, her heart beating like a drum in her chest.

"You don't have to be afraid, Lina. Calm down. Please." Zelgadis cleared his throat and continued, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I can hear the pounding of the… blood… in you and it's… well… it's setting me on edge…"

"Oh, sorry," Lina grimaced, and in spite of his words her heart sped up. She really didn't want to think what happened if and when he went over the edge. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. "It's just, you know… you, vampire; me, beautiful innocent virgin young woman…" She laughed feebly. Zelgadis only smiled in return.

Their walk for the next several minutes was silent except for the faraway sounds of car alarms, police cars, and thumping loud clubs. A few times they crossed paths with individuals that would likely have been trouble if Lina had been alone, but one look from Zelgadis and they scurried away like the rats they were.

"Boy, you should walk me home every night!" Lina crowed, gaining confidence every minute. "I'd never have to carry mace or remember karate lessons again!"

"If you were to take me up on my offer, you'd be able to walk these streets in dark, alone, and not fear a single thing."

Lina was silent for a long time, since the offer he had given her weighed heavily in her mind and was not something she could take lightly."

"Become a 'creature of the night', as you put it, huh?" she finally chuckled. "It sounds so ridiculous… And, look, I bet you're a great guy, but I don't really know you, and I can't see myself handing over my eternal soul just to be with you… no offense."

"None taken." Lina glanced at Zelgadis, thinking she'd see disappointment or even anger, but his face was a blank mask.

"Sure, eternal beauty and youth sounds fabulous, but who cares after a few hundred years, right? Sounds really boring and lonely, if you ask me… Oh… sorry…" This time a flicker of emotion did show on Zelgadis's face, and Lina cringed a bit. "That was uncalled for."

"But it's true." Zelgadis shrugged. "The eternal undead life does have its ups and downs…"

"Like what?"

"The ability to go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. Haven't you always wanted to travel? To go on adventures?"

A fire lit itself inside of Lina. Yes, she had always wanted something more than the life she had. Not that it was bad, per se, but it was dull and uneventful. Up until recently, that is. Go anywhere? Do anything? Lina desired these things more than anything else in the world.

"You don't need money," Zelgadis continued, oblivious to Lina's fomenting mind. "You have nothing to fear. You are your own law, you make your own rules. There are, I should clarify, certain codes of behavior that my kind follows. But generally, you're on your own."

"There are… more of you?" Lina asked.

"Of course. Although, generally, we're solitary creatures and do not 'hang out', as you might say, in large groups."

"And you want me, of all people, to join you."

"It can only be you."

"Because I'm descended from Olivia, right?"

"Correct."

"So… did you… that is…you must've met my mom at some point?"

"Correct."

Lina slowed to a stop. Zelgadis halted next to her. When he stopped moving, it almost seemed as though he wasn't there at all. It was unnerving, the way he blended into the darkness and the shadows.

"What…" Lina swallowed hard and tried again. "What was she like?"

Lina never properly met her mother. Shortly after Lina was born, Mrs. Inverse was in a car accident. The wounds she sustained were fatal, and she passed away. Lina was then raised by an eternally bereaved father.

"She was… beautiful," Zelgadis answered. He paused for a long time, obviously lost in thought, but he did not share his thoughts with Lina. "Confident, gracious, kind… You look just like her."

"So I've heard." Lina's voice was a mere whisper. There was an uncomfortable silence that wrapped around the two figures until Lina started walking again. "I wish I had gotten to meet her."

"She was a wonderful woman," Zelgadis replied, as though a way of agreement, keeping pace.

"It's kind of weird, thinking that you're asking me the same questions that you asked my mom… Actually, it's not just weird but kind of gross…" Lina's face screwed up as the thoughts filled her mind, and she was grateful for something to make her feel any emotion other than depressing sadness. "So were you in love with my mom, too? That's like an 8 on the Ick Factor scale… Wait, but you said you've been watching my family since the beginning? So you were after my grandma, too? Way, way weird…"

"It's not like that," Zelgadis replied, sounding a bit exasperated. "No, I wasn't 'in love' with every single female member of your lineage. As a matter of fact, your great-great-grandmother was quite a bitch, and I would have left her alone completely if I hadn't been desperate for companionship… No offense meant, Lina."

"None taken. I didn't know the woman. So… were you in love with my mom?"

"Lina, 'love' means so many different things, I can't just –"

"So you WERE in love with her."  
"No, no I wasn't."

"Why not? What was wrong with my mom? I thought you said she was wonderful."

They lapsed into silence again. Lina, who was purposely winding Zelgadis up, peeked out the corner of her eye to see his reaction. His face was immaculately void of emotion, which made it all the more obvious that he was hiding something.

"So were you in love with anyone?" Lina persisted. "In my family? I mean, you must've been, at some point, right? I think so. You can't live without loving. Oh, sorry. I didn't mean that in a vicious way. I just mean, you can't exist and not fall I love. I think you're lying to me, that maybe you did love my mom, and my grandma, and maybe even that bitch of a great-great-grandma. I just don't think it's possible to do what you're doing and not fall in love."

"I think, Lina, that you have overlooked a crucial bit of information: If what you are saying is true, then I must been in love with you. And how, may I ask, does it feel to know that I love you?"

This time the silence was stunned. So stunned, in fact, that it sat on its haunches, cocked its head, and then slipped off into the darkness to ponder.

"There's something else I should tell you." Zelgadis filled the night with his voice, sensing that Lina was in some sort of emotional shock. "I don't actually know what will happen if you join me. It may be that you'll become a vampire, like me, and we will continue to exist as I have existed for many years. It may, however mean something very different…

"We vampires pretend to know what we are, but in truth, none of us does. We don't know why we exist, we don't understand our biology, and we don't if vampirism is magic or if it's a sickness, something rooted in reality. Some speculate that there is a cure for what we have. Others say this is a punishment from God. There are a few that say it is a part of nature; not UN-natural, but SUPER-natural.

"I can't know for sure what will happen when I find someone who agrees to become a vampire for my sake. I have some theories, and none of them are happy…"

"Hey," Lina quietly interrupted. They had reached her apartment. Lina turned her body to face Zelgadis but kept her eyes averted from his face. "I don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. I just want to go to bed now."

"Fine," Zelgadis said after a long pause. Lina detected a hint of frustration in his voice, but she didn't care. Not now. Not when she had so much information to digest. "Then I will see you tomorrow?

"I don't work tomorrow. It's my day off."

"Then I will keep in touch. Goodnight, Lina."

"'Night."

Lina let herself into her apartment. She tossed her keys onto the kitchen table and slumped into one of the chairs.

"Why is my life so complicated? Is it because I didn't go to college? Because I didn't get a good education and land a fabulous job and husband and have 2.5 children and a dog named Spot? Dammit, why me?"

Lina thumped her head on the table, not noticing a dark figure detach itself from the shadows of her living room and creep quietly toward her.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me… please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Author Notes:** I don't think this'll be done in time for Halloween. Maybe next year's Halloween. Sorry. sheepish look

Chapter 7

Lina had just enough time to raise her head up from the table before the stranger in her apartment wrapped its left arm around her waist, lugged her off the chair, and pressed a knife to her throat. The chair skittered away and Lina was left leaning against the intruder. The blade rested over her jugular vein, and it bounced as she carefully swallowed the spit and taste of fear that filled her mouth.

"Where is he!" the dark stranger whispered fiercely, voice rough and masculine, his lips nearly grazing Lina's ear. "Where is that son of a-"

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Lina replied, trying to move her mouth as little as possible, as every movement caused the blade to bite a bit more.

"You know who I'm talking about," the trespasser snapped. "The demon-spawn. The abomination. Zelgadis."

"Why should I tell you anything?"

"Because I've got a knife at your neck, you stupid woman! Tell me where he's gone to and I'll let you live!"

"First of all, I don't know where he is, I'm not his keeper. Second of all, even if I did know where he was, I wouldn't tell you."

For a while the only sound was the intruder's heavy breathing, cascading over Lina's ear in hot waves. Lina experimentally tried to pull away but the intruder's arms tightened their grip immediately.

"He'll come for you, I know he will," the stranger finally said. "All I have to do is wait."

"What are you going to do, hold me hostage in my own home?" Lina snapped. She could tell, without even moving, that the person holding her was infinitely stronger than she was, and was pretty sure she wouldn't get very far if she tried to run. She glanced at the phone on the kitchen wall, then at the drawer where she kept her knives. Like hell she was just going to sit by and let this guy do whatever he pleased.

The stranger did not reply but guided Lina into the living room and shoved her onto the couch. Immediately Lina sprang up, intending to grab something, anything and hurl it at the man, but a peculiar thing happened.

The intruder held up his hand, whispered a word in a language Lina had never heard before, and suddenly Lina found herself confined to the couch. She couldn't move her legs although her arms were working fine, which she used to grab a pillow and throw into his face. The man batted it aside.

"What the BLOODY HELL did you do to me!" Lina shrieked, not scared but considerably angry.

"Old shamanistic magic," the guy replied offhandedly, as if he couldn't really be bothered to answer her question. He work neck to toe black, but his head was left uncovered, which was a rather strange thing to see an intruder do. Lina could not see his face well, for he always kept it turned down or away, and the room was without light except the moon glow that filtered in from the windows and doors. He slunk over to the glass doors leading to the deck and slumped against the cool surface. He didn't even deign to look at her again, although Lina continued to grab everything in reach and throw it at him, although the entirety of her ballistics included two more pillows, a remote, and a couple magazines.

"Okay, okay. If vampires exist, I don't see why magic can't," Lina said, crossing her arms and glaring at the stiff back. "Fair enough. But what do you have against Zel and, more importantly, WHY THE HELL AM I INVOLVED, DAMMIT!"

"Be quiet."

"What? Excuse me?"

"Stop your incessant talking! It's giving me a headache!"

"Oh ho, Mister I-can-throw-magic-around-like-a-bad-mo-fo! Can't your magic help you with that? And for that matter, why the whole sneaking up on me and holding a fricking knife to my throat? Huh? Huh?"

"For dramatic purposes," the guy mumbled back, shooting Lina a look that could freeze water. "I thought you'd more readily give me the answers I need if there was a sharp pointy object at your neck."

"Yeah, well…" Lina shrugged, starting to feel like she was in control. It always helped to have the other person on the defense. If she could just keep him talking… "So why are you after Zel, anyway?"

" 'Zel'…" A rueful smile tugged at the corners of the man's lips. "I used to call him that, too. He used to hate it."

"You… you knew Zel?" Lina felt something go "flop" in her tummy. This night, reality had already tilted 90 degrees and felt like it was going to turn again.

"You could say that. He was my brother."

* * *

Zelgadis sat alone in his apartment, a hot cup of coffee cradled in his ice-cold hands. One of the reasons he loved coffee so much was its ability to instill a little bit of warmth in him. Sylphiel had already gone to bed in her own room.

Sylphiel was what was known as a "human servant", a living and breathing human bound to her master vampire. It was a human servant's duty to take care of matters occurring during the day when their masters were asleep. Some ran companies, those humans belonging to entrepreneur vampires. Sometimes, human servants were sources of food in dire circumstances, although generally they were exempt from such things and more often than not helped arrange meals for their masters. Zelgadis had had many human servants over the course of his "undead lifetime", and Sylphiel was merely the latest. She was a competent helper but very much not Zelgadis's type.

She had been terminally ill, a small, sickly child who spent most of her days in a hospital bed. They had met purely by accident and Zelgadis had felt great pity for her. Through mutual consent, Zelgadis bound her to him, which cured her of her illnesses but allowed her to remain human. She was exempt from disease although could be easily killed by accidents and would die of old age like all mortals.

Zelgadis loved her, in a way very much like he loved his sisters when they were still alive. It was because of this that Zelgadis took her in, perhaps to make up for what he had done. She would never, could never be the emotional companion he needed, even if she had been of the D'Amaro line.

But Lina… Lina, he could see loving into eternity.

Zelgadis groaned and thumped his head on the table. Lina's questions from earlier that evening had pried too deep for him to ignore, had touched at the heart of the matter that caused Zelgadis so much pain.

She was so much like her mother. Zelgadis could recall the image of Elena Inverse as if he had only gazed upon her face yesterday. Elena had been 20 when Zelgadis first approached her, and although she had denied him what he so deeply desired, he continued to watch her, as he had her ancestors. He had watched her go from awkward youth to self-assured adulthood to blushing bride and, finally, to glowing mother-to-be. Elena had been… something special…

Yes, Zelgadis had been in love with Elena. After Olivia, there had only been emptiness, until he met her, the first female Inverse in the D'Amaro line. It had broken his heart when she refused to come away into the night with him. He did not even know his heart could still be broken, that he could feel such hurt again, that he even had a heart.

And here she is, Lina Inverse, the pinnacle of perfection, a true descendant of the D'Amaro line.

How many times had he approached her, now? Twice; on two different occasions he had seen her, but only once had he asked her the important question and received one answer. Before, Zelgadis made it a point to ask three times over the course of several years, certainly not in the same week. It was a matter of romance, a matter of custom, but his experience with Lina had thrown things off course. He wanted to be with her more than simply three nights of a lifetime. Things were… different now.

Did it matter anymore?

Oh, to hell with it. It didn't.

Zelgadis left his now cold coffee on the counter, grabbed his favorite leather jacket, swung it over his shoulder, and left the apartment.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Title:** Owner of a Lonely Heart

**Author:** Yugure

**Rated: PG-13**

**Genre:** Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Romance

**Disclaimer:** If you think Slayers et al belongs to me… please run, not walk, to your nearest mental health facility.

**Author Notes:** Erm… hi? Yep, not dead. Apologies if the chapter is too rushed; I really wanted to get it done quickly.

**Chapter 8**

Zelgadis paused on the sidewalk outside Lina's apartment building, head tilted up to the sky, eyes skimming the windows. He wondered briefly what sort of reaction he would get from Lina if he chose to make his entrance by balcony rather than elevator, but eventually decided there'd be a lot less pain involved if he took the normal route.

When he got to her door, he hesitated. He wasn't used to human behavior like knocking or waiting for an answer. When you've lived for a couple hundred years, things like doors don't really factor into decision-making.

Zelgadis rapped firmly on the door, then waited.

* * *

Both Lina's and the intruder's heads turned toward the door. The intruder's breath became so still Lina felt like she was alone in the room. She turned to look at him, to gauge his reaction, to make sure he was still there and hadn't disappeared like a phantom.

"So am I allowed to answer my door or what?" Lina asked nonchalantly.

"Yes." The intruder flicked his fingers at the couch and Lina felt the bonds that had held her down dissipate. She leapt to her feet, but began choking as the intruder mumbled another spell and the air around her throat tightened. "You are to bring him into the room here but do not warn him that you are not alone. If you do anything stupid, I'll break your neck."

_Well, damn, this little prick's got all his bases covered, doesn't he?_ Lina thought bitterly as she walked into the short hallway leading to the door. She heard the intruder move around behind her but she did not turn around.

Lina opened the door.  
"Hi." She swallowed hard.

"Hi," Zelgadis replied. For a moment he looked awkward, as though not sure what the protocol was for calling on a lady. "May I come in?"

If the situation wasn't quite so delicate, Lina may have found good-natured humor in his quiet distress. Things being what they were, however, she opted for staring him down and hoping he could read minds.

"That might not be a good – " Lina began, alternately widening and squinting her eyes and casting her pupils to the left, wondering if she was making a point or if she just looked epileptic. Her words ground to a halt as her throat tightened. She coughed and wheezed.

"Lina, are you all right?" Zelgadis asked, concern clearly on his face. His hands reached out to rest lightly on her shoulders. Lina shook him off.

"I just… need some water…" Lina hazarded a glance over her shoulder, but the intruder was nowhere to be seen from her vantage point. She faced Zelgadis and mouthed, _'There is a burglar in my house.'_

"What?" Zelgadis looked puzzled.

_'BURGLAR. INTRUDER._' Lina mouthed again, hoping that whatever word he picked up would let him know someone unwanted was in her apartment.

"Let's get you something to drink, shall we?" Zelgadis finally said after a few seconds of confused silence. He entered the apartment, arm outstretched behind Lina to usher her forward without actually touching her.

"Geez, you men are stupid," Lina complained loudly. "Whatever happens, it is NOT my fault that you can't effin' read lips…" She coughed again.

"What are you – "

They had entered the main part of the apartment, where the living room sat connected to the kitchen. Lina neither saw nor heard anything unusual, and sent a quick prayer up that maybe she had just dreamed it all, but Zelgadis suddenly went into hyper-alert mode. Lina couldn't quite put her finger on what changed, but the creature beside her had a very different presence than the one that had been on the other side of her apartment door.

"There's someone here," he said, his voice edging on the threshold of brittle glass.

"No shit, Sherlock," Lina replied, her pulse quickening as she thought she saw a shadow detach itself from the wall. Unconsciously she stepped closer to Zelgadis. "And here I thought you vampires had heightened senses…"

Quicker than even Lina could track, Zelgadis's arm snapped out and raked against a dark figure that had sprung up behind them. Lina spun around. The intruder grunted in pain but blocked the next swipe with his forearm. The men quickly fell into a series of martial arts moves that would make any kung fu master proud.

Lina snatched up a giant three-wick'd candle and brought it down as hard as she could on the brawling boys. She eeped in shock as Zelgadis, not the intruder, staggered under the blow. The intruder leapt away to prepare a shamanistic spell.

"Shit," Zelgadis winced, trying to keep his eye on his opponent. "What the hell is that thing made of, lead!"

"Ack, I'm sorry, I'm just trying to help-"

"Stop helping me!"

"Right," Lina replied to the air as Zelgadis launched himself at the intruder, interrupting whatever spell was being cast. Lina did the most sensible thing she could think of and went to lock herself in her room until this was over.

_It's not really my fight, it's none of my business, _she thought as she shut her bedroom door, locked it, and searched around for something to arm herself with. _Whatever this feud is about, there's no reason for me to lose my head for it. Literally._

Lina glanced under her bed, pulled out the baseball bat hidden there, and stood in front of the door. One doesn't live in the area of the city that Lina did without being prepared.

If the stranger who calls himself Zelgadis' brother comes through that door, she'd be ready.

* * *

Zelgadis managed to get the grip he needed to throw the man on the floor, which he did with force enough to knock the wind out of the intruder. Zelgadis dropped down, his knees pinning down the other man's arms and his distended, clawed hands were around the throat. The dark figure beneath the vampire gurgled pitifully. It was a few seconds before Zelgadis realized he was laughing.

"What the hell is so damn funny!" Zelgadis demanded.

"You…" the intruder wheezed. Zelgadis's fingers twitched and dug into flesh further.

"You don't mess with me," he snarled.

"You… always were… a bully," the intruder continued. He fought against his restraints, but in spite of his magic mastery and skills at moving like a ninja, his strength wasn't a match for an enraged vampire. "Is this… how Mother… went?"

Zelgadis flinched. The rage that had colored his vision red began to fade, and he looked down at the figure, actually seeing him for the first time. If it was possible for vampires to pale even more, he would have.

"Camilla? Isabella? Lucia?"

Zelgadis' grip loosened.

"How was it… squeezing… their life… out?"

"Leo…" Zelgadis' voice was suddenly more wistful than he ever remembered hearing it.

"You better squeeze tighter than that because I'm going to rip your heart out if you let me up!" Leo hollered. Not heeding the words, Zelgadis sat back. Leo scrambled out from under him, but even when he stood up, towering over the vampire, Zelgadis did not get up.

"I thought you were…" Zelgadis faltered.

"Dead? I nearly was. And who's fault was that?" Leo snatched a knife from his boot, held it in front of him, and murmured a few arcane words. He stopped, glaring at the vampire. "Aren't you going to fight anymore? Or are you going to let me take your pathetic, unholy life?"

"Leo…" Zelgadis searched the familiar face of his brother for any sign of compassion but there was none to be found. Not that he really expected it, of course, after what he'd done. But he had hoped.

_He's alive… I thought… I thought I had… _Zelgadis pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes, his back bowed.

"You're going to regret ever being born,' Leo sneered. He switched his grip on his knife.

"I already do," was the quiet, almost inaudible reply, Zelgadis's face still turned downward. "God, you have no idea…"

"No idea!" Leo screeched, nearly dropping his knife as an incredulous fury overtook him. "No idea! Do you have any idea what it's like watching your brother MURDER your mother and your sisters? No, you don't, because that was MY life, that was MY nightmare, and YOU were the murderer!"

"It's not like I had a choice!" Zelgadis finally snapped, getting to his feet and leveling an angry stare at his brother. "Leo, you can't possibly know how sorry I was. Am. You don't know what it was like-"

"Just shut up!" Hot tears welled in Leo's eyes as he shook the knife at Zelgadis. All his gumption, all his bravado began to fall to pieces while he stood there, face to face with the man who had once been his idol. "Shut the hell up!"

"Why are you doing this, Leo? I don't even understand how you're still… well, alive…"

"How do YOU think?" Leo snarled. "How else would I have survived the night you literally ripped my insides out and left me for dead? How could I have survived these two hundred years and still look like this?"

Leo fell silent, his chest heaving with an effort to keep his emotions at back. He shuddered. Zelgadis, used to coldness, felt as though all his veins were suddenly shot through with dry ice – so cold it was hot.

"Who turned you?" Zelgadis asked, voice breaking. "You've become one of us, haven't you?"

"There'll be a special place in hell for you, brother dear," Leo finally said. "You who acts all innocent, who plays the victim card with such deftness. You left me to die but I didn't. Or," Leo laughed hollowly, "Rather I should say, I died and came back. You turned me, Zelgadis. You made me this damnable creature of the night, and you left me to cope all by myself. I had to learn how to hunt, how to eat, how to survive – all alone. And you can't possibly imagine what I've had to do."

"I probably can."

"No, do NOT get all empathetic on me. I hate you for what you did. The only reason why I'm still alive, why I haven't staked myself or walked into the sun on purpose, is to make you pay for ruining my life."

"So do it."

Silence fell again. Zelgadis stood erect, eyes locked on to Leo's, arms hanging loosely at his arms. He felt desperation seize his muscles, a glimmer of hope that trickled along his nerves at the idea of an imminent release from his purgatory. Leo, not nearly as poised, practically vibrated with unused energy and anger.

"What?"

"Kill me. Get it over with already." Zelgadis shook his head, a rueful smile on his lips. "Don't think I haven't thought of doing the same. I didn't choose this life, Leo. Not really. I didn't want any of this. And the only thing that's kept me going is…" Zelgadis gestured to the hallway, down which lay Lina's room.

"Why haven't you?"

"Killed myself?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. I suppose… I had hope. For a long time, I thought maybe I could break this curse. I don't know what will happen, if anything. But if it'll make you feel better…"

"You should die."

"I know."

"You deserve to die."

"I know."

"… I've spent so long looking for you I… I don't know what to do…"

"If it helps you in making a decision, I think I found the one."

"The one what?"

_At least I had Olivia to explain everything to me… _Zelgadis gently shook his head. A_t least she helped me understand and thrive in this new life… God, please forgive me for doing this to my brother…_

"We need to sit down and talk, I think…"

* * *

The bedroom door jiggled, and Lina jumped. For a while she hadn't heard much coming from the rest of her apartment, and it worried her. Who had been the victor? Was one of them dead? How would she get a dead body out of her apartment? Would the blood come up out of the carpet, and if it didn't, would she still get her deposit back?

"Shit," she breathed, heart thudding painfully.

"Lina?"

"Zel?"

"You can open the door, everything's fine."

Lina crept to the door, unlocked it, and opened it a crack. Zelgadis smiled wearily down at her.

"You know, either one of us could have broken the door into splinters. A lock is just superfluous."

"What, he is a vampire, too?" Lina demanded. At Zel's nod, she opened the door further and tried to peer down the hall behind him. "Did you kill him?"

"No."

"Why not! He broke into my apartment and held me at knifepoint! KNIFEPOINT! I mean, come on! What did you do, brew him a nice cup of lemon tea and told him to help himself to my cookie jar!"

"Not exactly."

When Lina got to the living room and saw the intruder sitting on her couch, quietly nursing a cup of instant coffee in her "I try to take things one day at a time but lately several have attacked me at once" mug, she threw her hands into the air.

"What is it with you supernatural creeps and coffee!"


End file.
